Beautiful and Solitary
by The Power of Three '95
Summary: Kenpachi isn't the kind of guy to get pretty well with Unohana, but when something new triggers out of his angst, he needs her to know. Chapter 3 out now!
1. The Truth

**Beautiful and Solitary**

**Chapter One: The ****truth**

The Council of the Captains were aligned just for me that morning. I had to present my report in front of them all while I was covered up in wounds because there was no time for treatment. The Old Man was desperate to hear what I was about to say about the mission, so I knelt in front of him with my Haori touching the wooden floor with some of my blood. The thing was that I heard an anonymous hiss beside me, as if the absent agony that should been in me had moved on to another person. I didn't have to look to know that it was the Captain of that Healing Squad. She always stood there and she always smelled like herbs and incense, and so it has been since the first time I saw her when I first joined the Squads.

She was all so different. I've heard that she's the strongest of all the Captains right after the Old Man, so she had this privilege to question his orders every now and then. She always talked about the innocent and our priority to help the weak. She seemed so wise when she spoke, all so courageous in what she believed in…Weakling. She was a weakling in heart.

Remembering the reason I was there I began to give my report to the General as everyone remained dead silent to my words. Retsu Unohana was listening too, but I felt her spiritual pressure unease. I could feel her warm sad eyes all over me. She always did that everytime she saw me after a fight when I got wounded or when it came down to the Fisical exam and she took a look at all my scars. She always kept so silent and sad. It pissed me a lot. There had been times when I went off from her office all irritated. I felt so weak when I was close to her, like if I weren't a Captain at all.

I always felt so inferior with her…so inferior to her that just by looking at her it pissed me off. And it always was with me alone. I have seen her with the others, she used to laugh and smile with everyone. Everyone except me. _What was with her_?

I felt like fucking runt being scolded by his mom.

Retsu Unohana scolded me for being what I am.

There had been times when I just wanted to yell at her to leave me alone, but I'll probably look like a fool because nobody else had noticed how she looks at me. Nobody! And I have only spoken about this to little Yachiru and that was when she asked me for a bedtime story and I had founded myself inventing one that ended up being my own anecdote with Captain Unohana. Well at least I used to change names as she used to play along and she hadn't paid any attention to the coincidences of the characters. She has always been a good listener: she never asked questions of whatever I invented.

I ended up losing my head at night, cursing in my insides every time I woken up and realized that I had just dreamt about her again.

Why wouldn't she just die?

I was going insane. I've had enough of all of this bullshit. I couldn't breathe now when I am this close to her. I couldn't concentrate; it's like me going drunk.

When I had finished narrating my stupid report to the Captain he dismissed us right away 'till he could clear up his mind. By then I was about to sigh of relief, but I shouldn't until I could be finally out of there, far away from her.

But when I was on my way to the door…

"Captain Zaraki" it was her. That voice always made me freeze.

Shit! She probably would want to heal me now. Yep, that bitch just couldn't let me go just like that.

I turned to her, glaring at her probably, but she was always so calm and patient that it didn't do any effect on her. She was unbreakable.

She just stretched her hand forward like showing me the way, "Right this way, Captain"

When she started walking I growled at my insides. I had no choice but to follow her, because or was _this_ or that _stare_.

I've always thought that stare had a secret manipulating spell of some sort. Probably from hell or something. If she'd wish, with those eyes of hers she could persuade any man to make them sleep with her. But by all I've learned in all these years as Captain is that she'll probably be a virgin and stay that way forever. She was too busy, too high quality and too scary to have a man. Any man at all.

As I followed her my hands closed in a fist. Why wouldn't she just let me be? I wasn't disturbing anyone with my bloody appearance so why bother? The hell with her!

When we finally arrived to her foolish Barrack full of dummies with dummy faces and dummy walks and dummy conversations they started shock at me when we passed by them: me following their dearest Captain didn't seem to fit their image of me. Or more likely, I think it was all the blood on my clothes that made them stare at me like that. I sure didn't mind if they thought I was the devil himself or a fucking whore. The hell with what they thought.

Retsu opened the door of a patience room, one specially made of only one bed and one blue curtain. In there she closed the door behind me and instructed me to strip my haori and shirt off. I glared at her at this, but she didn't saw me. She had distracted herself looking for some medicine and bullshit on a closet beside the door.

I scoffed and did as she told me. I let slip my haori down from my shoulders and untied my waist band to set lose my shukahusho shirt apart. When Unohana had returned from the closet with all those doctor stuff she took a look at me half naked in front of her, probably studying every inch covered in blood and bruises. And again she looked at me with those sad eyes. I took a deep breath to prevent my mouth to shout at her some incoherent curses right there.

"Please sit down over the bed Captain" she instructed next. I looked behind me before sitting on its edge. It was better than to stand still and be tempted to crush things. Once there I glared at her again and again she was distracted doing a healing spell over my arm.

Those hands of hers were so soft and pale. Having them centimeters away from my skin was torturing. Why shouldn't she just touch me with them to end the pain? That would heal me better than that spell she worked on. When I dared to search for her eyes they were completely indifferent to mine, oblivious to me as she worked on the wound in my arm. A heavy stone pressed against my chest and my defying mouth let out a low sigh. Retsu startled and switched her eyes to me. I looked away panicked.

_Shit! Why did I do that? _

"Did I hurt you, Captain?" her soft voice asked.

What did I do?

"N-no…" I lied. It had hurt me but not in the way she thought.

After a long hesitation she returned on her healing, and I on my staring. My eyes traveled her from her blue eyes to her red lips. My chest ached and I forgot everything about physical pain. What was she doing to me?

When her spell ended and she started to cover my wound with bands I felt her fingers against my skin and a shot of energy was sent to my head. My eyes closed. She might've seen that but I felt like I didn't care any more.

I started to lure her. Her herbs scent was getting me wild; I wanted her to touch me already. I wanted her to look at my eyes and make the pain go away. I needed her now. Why wouldn't she just let me go?

I completely forgot about time when she stood up and showed at me that smile of hers, "All done" she had said, "You can dress now"

I scoffed. I got to admit I was completely disappointed. It all happened so fast that I hadn't realized that in all that time I'd flittered Retsu Unohana, that bitch had me out of my mind. Why wouldn't she just go away?

Once she did I almost felt relieved, but my chest ached. If I'd been stabbed with a rock on the chest it would've felt like this. I glared at her as I dressed and she gathered her instruments and guarded them on the closet she got them out. I was putting on my shirt when she folded her waist inside the closet and my eye got full view of her ass. My face felt on fire. They were so attractive and big that the air of my lungs almost ran out. A small smirk was drawing in my face. She wasn't in bad shape at all. I shook my head when I began to wonder what other wonders she kept hidden from me.

In that she stood straight and I turned placing my haori on my shoulders.

"You should come tomorrow so that I could monitor the stitches on your arm, Captain" she said.

I whirled puzzled, "Ah?"

She smiled, "I need to monitor your stitches to assure you full recovery to go back into the field as soon as possible, Captain."

I stared at her up and down, "Ah huh…" I said pretending to be distracted with my sleeve, "I just hope it doesn't take long, Captain" I murmured heading to the door.

"Captain Zaraki"

I stopped short and so did my heart. I held my breath and turned my head, "What is it?"

She waited so long to talk, "…I hope you recover."

I sighed; once again disappointed washed me over for some reason I couldn't explain myself.

On that night I founded myself waking up in the darkness of my room realizing that I had just woken up from another nightmare, those with her as the point of factor. I couldn't managed to sleep after that. I had gone in to the bathroom to wash my face with water. Regarding my face on the mirror for a long time I saw my eyes were shallow, probably from crying inside of dreams.

I had never cried in real life, but my head just knew how to mess up with me sleeping at night. I began to fall a shamed of myself. I've battled with everything and everyone when I still couldn't battle my own dreams. Only I, me and myself knew my weaknesses.

But on that night I didn't had a clue why I felt weak. Dreaming about her wasn't the case. She wouldn't make me feel so bad. So what was it?

On that morning the unexpected happened. My squad was assigned on a hollow expedition and I was leading it. It felt so good being able to discharge everything with my sword! Oh, if I could just use it to solve every one of my problems I'll be the happiest man in the world. The hollows were extremely easy to handle, but I realized I just needed a bit of my adrenaline set loose to remember the reason why I came to the Seireitei in the first place: to destroy monsters and get paid. Not to worry about what a woman seem to me or what she wanted me to do. I was hell free from her.

I realized I was in a good mood and I invited all of my men for a drink. When we headed out to a special pub on the Seireitei we drank sake until dawn. I was taking advantage of the lil' Yachiru being out on a trip of that women association shit and I drank twice the sake that day. I decided to slip my mind on the cheer of my men and threw up a drinking contest. What a commotion! My men end up betting for me all the time. I was already in my late twenties round when my soberness started to feel affected, but I could still speak coherent. It wasn't until my third Seat Ikkaku decided to dare me in a sake duel that I felt a bit unlike me.

"Oh, it's on, _baldy_!" I had said once we begun. At saying baldy I realized the sake had started to affect me because only my lil' Yachiru would call him like that, which didn't pissed him off when I was around. Probably because he'll think that I'll kick his ass if he said something bad to my lieutenant in front of me.

When we are at our fourteenth round Ikkaku began to feel his head heavy as I started to lose my balance on a chair. Having the biggest cups of sake on the house was a bad idea after all. I had an unease feeling that I needed to get back to my office and it was getting late. When I was about to withdrew the competition Ikkaku fell like a rock from his chair. The men around us cheered in celebration as I pushed my chair backwards and tried to stand. Once I did the earth beneath me wiggled like gelatine and I reached the walls for support. After hours on a trip that normally took me half an hour I made it to my barracks. When I opened the door to my office I felt a familiar spiritual pressure inside of it.

When I closed the door behind me I frowned to see who it was.

The lights of me office rebounded on her pale face. Her goddess like factions made my heart jump out of place. I chuckled, and I founded myself surprise of how drunk I was, "Captain Unohana in me _offizz_?" I decided to walk to her without the support of the wall, losing some balance in my journey, "He, he. What brings such a beautiful lady in mere night?" I was enjoying muyself even do I looked as a complete fool.

Unohana was a bit frowned, "Have you been drinking, Captain?"

My head went to aside and so did my feet but I make it straight again without falling, "What makes ya think that?"

"You have been drunk all day while I've been waiting for you for what we discussed yesterday?"

"_Yesterday_?" I frowned but then a big grin was drawn in my face, "Oh. You mean the sex thing?"

Unohana blinked puzzled, "_Excuse me_?"

I tripped falling in my knees. She ran and crouched beside me supporting my shoulders, "You need to lie down, Captain Zaraki." She instructed me, "You're in no condition to be walking"

"Yeah, whatever you say_ Mom_" I chuckled being lift up by her, in that I grinned, "Mmm, you smell so nice, _Retsu_", I hadn't realize I had just addressed her with her first name. My face was so close to hers and she took my arm over her shoulders to carry me to my desk to sit, "You said I needed to lay down, but this isn't a bed. Te-he, and I'm the drunk one here…"

"Just sit down, until I can check if your wounds are recovering." She said kneeling to my arm and checks the stitches she made the day before.

"Yeah, right…What an excuse…I know you're jus doin' this to impress me. You're just here to flirt me"

It looked like Unohana was trying hard not to look directly at me, "You seem just fine. Your wounds will be healed in no time, Captain"

I sighed closing my eyes. Even drunk I'd had enough of her shit, "You idiot."

I stretched my hand to grab her nape and pull her to my face. Our mouths touched. She tasted like herbs and mint it sent me wild. Her soft lips against mine were so delicate and delicious I couldn't have enough. Her spiritual pressure was so low that she was calm. I was drunk, but not enough to think this was right. And still it felt so good. My mind just whirled back to this moment and its diverse tastes. The earth stopped existing to me. I was surrendered to that woman all of the sudden. I felt her lips move against mine as her hands climbed up in my chest. My insides tickled in desire. She was enjoying this as much as I was.

That was enough to trigger my whole body into motion. As my tongue entered her mouth I pushed her slowly so that my body ended up on top of hers on the floor. My lips began to travel down to kiss her chin uncontrollably. I lost everything. I didn't even do what I was doing. I was panicked of myself and I couldn't stop me. And the worst part of all was that she wasn't fighting back. She was moaning when I began to kiss her neck just under her ear. It was her weak spot, I realized smiling, biting gently her ear. I was drunk enough to touch her body up and down under me. All the boundaries of respect had been crushed down now.

Now she knew I was into her. I needed to stop now.

"What am I doing?"

I stopped just over Unohana's lips when I heard her whisper that, "I do not know…" I strangely answered her kissing her wildly again. She kept me closer to her by grabbing my nape; she didn't want me to stop? But this was enough. I lost myself on her. I needed to stop before it could go any further, "Please…" I gasped between our lips, "…make me stop… This is too…much-"

"No" she gasped, "No. Please don't stop…"

I frowned at her raising my face to look at her eyes, "You don't…Why?"

Unohana smiled at me dreamily, placing her hand in my cheek, "You're drunk. You won't remember any of this in the morning…I want to try this, at least this once." Her words were so puzzling, too much for my drunkenness to understand. The only thing I could was the very thing of feeling sad at her words, "Kiss me, Kenpachi…please." She said, "Make it last until you pass out…"

I was speechless. She was actually dead serious to this. But I didn't hesitate on kissing her again. This time our mouths crashed together hungrily and our bodies were pressed together. The air in my lungs evaporated. Did I really wanted this? Do I really needed her that bad?

But in the end it didn't even mattered because the last thing I heard from her was a thank you and I fell into darkness.

* * *

**AN: Thanks for reading. This was originally a one shot but I want it to continue. This is a short story I placed my frustration into because the KenXUno story I'm working out isn't enough and it hasn't convinced me. So I used this to try out something better. **

**If you have any comments please review! I will continue this shortly X3**


	2. The Lie

**Disclaimer: I ****do not own bleach.**

* * *

**Chapter Two: The Lie**

When I opened my eyes I snapped them close. The daylight burned. Seconds later my head was remembering a heavy pain that had been sleeping all night with me. It was like my head were bleeding on its inside. Grunting I slowly straighten up, holding my head and blinking slowly unto the room. Disoriented I looked around. The room didn't stopped spinning. I rubbed my eyes. Oh, how much I loved hangover.

When I recognized the room I stared dazed at it. What was I doing in my office? Did I spend the night here?

Great. That meant that I passed out like a bitch while doing something important I presumed. What a trip yesterday. I wondered what else I did in those blank hours of my life. I chuckled, would've been awesome if I'd scared everyone out as I came here. Yachiru once told me that I looked like a crawling laughing demon when I was drunk and we both agreed it to be cool.

It would've been much cooler if that bitch Unohana had happened to pass by and I'd scared the hell out of her. Of course that would've been possible. If so she would've taken me in as a patient on her hospital and I would've ended as a fool once again.

Trying to stand up I almost lost balance. My sides were swinging. I covered my eyes with my head and headed for the door. This deserved a good long bath. The spikes on my hair were messed up for having slept in over them. My haori probably was stained of alcohol or something, all the more reason to head out home. But when I went down the corridor my fifth seat yelled at me.

"Argh! Don't shout, shit!" I told Yumichika.

"I didn't shout Captain." He tilted his head to a side, "What's the matter? _Hangover_?"

"_Runover_ more like it."

"Tsk, tsk. _So_ ugly. The worst part is the vomit. So _disgusting._"

"I don't puke" I glared at him, "And don't make me change my mind. Why the hell you called me for bitch?" I asked holding my forehead as the dizziness clouded me little by little.

"Mail is here" he said handing me a picture, "The lieutenant sent this along with best of wishes and some drawings of you."

I looked at the paper he gave me. It was a picture of Yachiru smiling at me pointing out at a sculpture of a red dragon behind her. Over a corner of the picture she had written: "Hi Ken-chan! I wish you were here! I'm having fun but I miss you! I miss you! I miss you! I miss you! Hugs, Yachiru!"

I chuckled. Her handwriting was improving. It looked like the Friday night classes were finally paying off.

"When are they coming back?" I asked passing the picture to notice a collection of eight drawings of me with Yachiru. This made me smile; more pictures to hang up in my office.

"I think I remember Matsumoto saying something about the twentieth." Yumichika said thoughtful, scratching his nape, "Can't say for sure Captain. The World of the Living is an odd place."

I scoffed, the headache remembering me where I was heading, "Whatever. I have to go, take a shower. I want no one to interrupt me. If someone asked, I died."

With that I turned on my heels and began to walk away from him, massaging my temple and watching the drawings Yachiru had given me. Once bathed and dressed I did my hair once again and went to wonder around my Barracks. My dizziness had gotten worse but I wasn't gonna lay on bed like a leper all day. But taking a walk around the barracks didn't helped at all either. I just liked to complicate things for me. The light of the sun was irritating. I had to cover my eyes every time I passed by an opened door of a bright room with open windows. This was getting annoying. How can I make it through the day like this?

In the barracks everything seemed in order. My men were playing like fools as always. When I passed by them they bowed at me and saluted me a good morning. I raised my hand as giving them the same; I was too ached to move my head. Nausea tempted to break at any minute. I had never puked but this could be a pretty first time.

I had no option than to return to my office. When I opened the door a strange Déjà vu thundered in my head. I was paralyzed at the door staring at the floor next to my desk. I began to think about her, the Captain of the Healing Squad. Her herbs scent came to my nose, as if she were there. And then a strange feeling about forgetting something hit me square on the face.

I shook my head. How could I possibly be thinking about her again? I was pathetic. What the hell was I doing?

I needed to clear my mind. Wasn't dreaming about her far enough but now I wanted to think about her too? Was I out of my mind? I sighed. Why wouldn't that woman just leave me alone?

I was about to turn when my eyes caught up with something shinning on the floor. I stared at it, with no clue of what it was. I came over to it and picked it up.

It was a small, sealed, crystal bottle with some brownish green plants inside. I didn't have any idea of what the hell it was, but it smelled strong. Must've been a medical plant of some sort, but…what the hell was it doing in here?

I looked around for some other sign of something else left out. But this was about it. It source was the more bothering. Only one person could carry this with him at all times…and that was _her_.

I started to panic. What was Unohana's bottle doing in here? How long this has been here? When did she ever come to my office…?

And then I thought about yesterday and that blank time in my life when I was drunk.

Wait…Was it possible that…No. That couldn't be! Was she _here_ when I was drunk? There was no way that she couldn't have come and left without anything else happening in between that time!

I shook my head. I was overreacting again. I was really beginning to become weak. Why would I ever bother if she were here or not? It wasn't surprising. She has been here before just as she has seen me shirtless and wounded. What was the difference now? It was her job after all.

I just needed to face the task ahead; give this little crystal thingy back to her and say that she must've drop it a long time ago. That's it. No need to feel intimidated. I was just going to give this back to her. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

Her squad barracks seemed bigger than before, but then I thought I was just nervous of getting in there without a physical reason or an invitation. In my time here on Soul Society I had never thought of entering there just to see her and much less, to do her a favor. From the moment I had stepped in the fourth squad barracks I was a magnet of attention. As I passed by the officers and nurses they gasped and whispered between each other as I went. Some others more politely bowed and saluted me although there were much more afraid than the ones that didn't.

After a long journey through those assholes, I felt Unohana's spiritual pressure near by. I followed it until I reached a door. Her muffled voice was in the other side. I slide it open and the room appeared lighted up in front of my eyes.

It was a big room full of beds in each side. Three tall windows let the sun in at the bottom of the room. Right in the middle of a hall made by the aligned beds Unohana gave me her back as she spoke to some nurses gathered in a meeting circle. They were the first ones to spot me at the door. They told the Captain to look at my way. Unohana turned puzzled and when she saw me my heart jumped. She smiled at me, "Captain Zaraki?" her voice seemed surprised and in a hurry, "Hold on a minute. I'll be right there" she told something else to her officers that were still staring at my direction before dismissing them.

I didn't know what I was doing there by then. That place had always been so aliened to me that when I always faced her, it was like facing a stranger who knew _me. _When she turned my pressure raised and I forgot everything about the world around us. She was coming right at me now and I felt cornered, regretting ever coming here in the first place.

"Morning Captain Zaraki" she said with that sweet and irritating voice of hers. Her hands were always down and her eyes up at me as I gazed them down, "How may I help you?"

I couldn't hear her. My heart was so noisy and her eyes so deep and alive I couldn't concentrate, "Um…I-ah…"

Unohana tilted her head, "Now, now, I'm in a hurry Captain. Please tell me why you are here."

Dammit. I needed to snap out of it, but it was so hard with her so close. "I…I came here…to give you something I think you dropped…" I searched in my shukahusho pockets and handed her the small bottle. I sure got that right because at gazing it she gasped and took it.

"My basil." She stared at it for very long minutes before raising her head back to me, "Where did you found it?"

"At my office" I said, being careful with my words not to sound too suspicious of her, "I think you must've dropped it a long time ago."

Unohana closed her fist around the bottle without looking at me, "Yes. Probably a long time ago"

I arched my eye brows. I was sure playing it cool, but she seemed otherwise. Her voice folded in sarcasm. So she did know something I didn't. I glared at her for the long minutes that had passed in silence. Just what the hell was she hiding from me?

Something told me this wasn't the right time yet to find out, "Well, be careful next time Captain" I said turning in heals to head for the door.

"Captain Zaraki"

I had slid the door open, "What is it?" what could she probably say to me at this point?

She waited so long to speak that when she finally spoke, I hold my breath, "I was just wondering," She began, opening a question that surpassed the barrier of professionalism, and I saw nothing good coming out from this, "There is an activity my squad is throwing up for my third seat tomorrow…Would you, I mean if you have nothing else to do, would you like to pass by and pay me a visit some time tomorrow night?"

I glared at her down, "_What_?" I snapped.

She shrugged, "It's just if you liked to…I mean, my lieutenant is out on that trip and I'm here so lonely. I would like to have a little company.

Was she serious? Was she really asking me to go to a _party_ with her?

Once again that woman has bewildered me completely, "But you've got your squad with you. Isn't that enough company for you? Besides why the hell do you want _me_ there for?"

"I was just asking, Captain" she interjected, "It's alright if you don't want to come." She gazed up at my eyes for the first time, "When I asked you I was expecting a more understanding no rather than a yes, so it really doesn't matter." She smiled at me, "But thank you for your time. If that is all, I must continue. I have a lot of work to do. Good day Captain Zaraki"

And with that she left, side stepping next to me and avoiding my stare. I felt confused at first, but guilt was the one to wash me over at the end. What was I doing here in the first place? I asked for none of this! When Unohana's spiritual pressure was long gone, I left as well exiting this fucking barracks in a contrary direction. I've had enough of this bullshit! That woman once again has proven herself out of her mind. How could she bring that up and then drop it like that all of a sudden?

Stammering back to my squad with hell in my mind, I called out for my third seat. I was feeling pissed of today and I wasn't going to flap about it to my pillow. I unsheathed my sword in our squad's gym and began to stretch. By then Ikkaku appeared at the door, "Good!" I said, "Excellent timing Ikkaku"

My third seat seemed disoriented, "You called me captain?"

"Yes I did. Call all my high ranked officers. Today we are going to sweat like beasts!"

* * *

The sun was setting over the buildings when my men crawled out from the gym, all moaning in agony and panting of exhaustion. I, however, was doing great. After all that discharge of energy I felt alive again. All that bullshit about Unohana seemed nonsense now. I could finally let go and be free of her. My best medicine had always been taking it on my men, and I assumed that they felt grateful for it. No one else could have the privilege to learn from me and live long to tell the tale proudly.

I was sitting over a windowsill at the gym, clinging to my bloody sword as I gazed the sunset through the window. My mind wondered back to this morning although I couldn't believe myself I was still thinking about that. She looked so sad when I she left me. Did I really hurt her feelings? After all this years she has never shown her soft side; if she had ever had one. She had always seemed so straighten forward and so strong I gave up to the idea that feelings for her were nonsense or a burden to her professionalism. And that, at that time, had been the only thing I saw that Unohana and me were alike. Feelings were chains that dragged us back in our duties as Soul Reapers, or in my world, hold us back in a good fight. It was like a sin for me.

But today she had showed me otherwise. She had proven me that she wasn't as strong as I thought. What made her like that? Was she truly expecting me to go? Didn't she say that she was waiting for me to tell her a no? Then why did she ever ask in the first place? Did she somehow think this would leave a guilty feeling in me and I'll end up dragging my guilty ass to that stupid party? No way! I wasn't a fool! I wouldn't let her play with my head. Who did she thought I was?

"That bitch"

I stood in my feet, placed my haori on and left the gym, not knowing where I was heading, but knowing for sure that my mind was set up. I wasn't gonna waste my precious time thinking about her again.

* * *

On the next day, I had been sitting in my office all day struggling over reports with my fifth seat helping my boring stay between tons of paper get more tedious. The sun was setting behind me quite much more different than the day before at the gym.

Today was Unohana's party.

I had made my mind so why had I counted down the hours for the event? Was I really enjoying this torture? I never stopped glancing at the clock hanging in my wall, that hideous clock which so many times I've tried to dismember, but with the risk of it being something with an important background for the squad and consecutively the Old Man, I have hold my impulses down.

Writing and reading. Signing and proceeding. While Yumichika served me as a living companion to me, my grudges to Unohana kept at bay. The real things in front of my eyes were distracting me, helping me to control myself, to forget about tonight.

But as I thought harder and harder about forgetting it, Yumichika interjected, "We are almost done, sir." He placed a piece of paper in front of me, "Just sign there and there and we are done"

Sighing I did as he said. He removed the paper from my desk, "All right that's all for today. Thank goodness we finished right on time" he said looking at the clock I've been glancing all day.

"Right on time for what?" I didn't really cared; I was just trying to find some other distraction before the grudging thoughts reappeared.

"A party" Yumichika said turning to me, hugging the papers with one arm, "Squad Four it's throwing up a party for Captain Unohana's birthday. Nothing that _we _of squad eleven should care, but they promised free food and sake and by looking at our cafeteria cook I can't help but say that I can not let this opportunity pass b-"

I pushed my chair back standing in a jump, "What did you say?"

Yumichika jumped startled, "What? No need to over react Captain! I never actually said that our cook was an awful one-!"

"No, you dumbass! The thing you said before that! About the party"  
My fifth Seat brushed his hair with his fingers, "Take it easy Captain. I just said that the party is for Captain Unohana. It's her birthday, no reason to overreact. That is so unlike you Captain."

"But she said it was her third seat's …" I was so in shock that I hadn't realized that I thought out loud. She lied to me. No wonder she was so sad when she left me after I had said no. It was her birthday. But why didn't she say so? Dammit! And why did _I care_? Damn! She's so stubborn!

"That idiot!" I said, stammering out of my office, ignoring Yumichika's stare until I was at the hallway.

…

Once again I had the Squad Four barracks high in front of me. In the distance I could hear the faint conversations and ambient music of a party. I took a deep breath not knowing clearly what I was doing there. I just knew I had to get things straight with that woman. No more lies. What the hell she thought me for? The hell with her!

I stepped in, the music and distant voices guiding me. It wasn't long until I found myself in an interior garden with a lot of Soul Reapers in there. There was a long table with dishes to my right and to my left tables with Soul Reapers eating and drinking sake. I devised the Old Man in a corner talking with Captain Soi Fon and with his faithful lieutenant Sasakibe drinking by his side. Most of the thirteen Court Guard Captains were gathered there with glasses on their hands. The only one missing was that Kurotsuchi freak and me…

In that instant I figured that I had been invited just like everybody else to this freak show…but then again, I'll probably had been the only one lied to.

I placed a foot over the grass when I herd my name called. I lifted my eyes. Her voice had been gasped and when she went at me she walked in stride. It had me stunned how alive her eyes had turned. When she cached up on me I could see Unohana clearly. Her face was shining like the moon, "I knew you've come!" she said. The air in my lungs had been stolen but my heart was beating faster, suffocating me.

Her deep blue eyes were quite more different than I had remembered. I could fell into complete hypnosis with them. I restrained my impulse to caress those soft cheeks of hers as I restrained myself into lounging over her to cover her in my arms. Just how did she hypnotize me like that?

"Why didn't you told me this was your birthday?" it was all my mouth could say.

Unohana smiled, "Is that why you came?" I frowned. Was I being interrogated again by her.

Small fingers took mines. I froze and looked down. She had taken my hand and I wasn't jerking it away. I was so stunned at how soft and delicate they were that nothing else seemed real. My chest boiled with something that made my stomach feel strange. With our hands together she guided me deeper into the party and the crowd. "Why you never asked" she answered.

As she guided me and everyone looked at our way, I realized that I wasn't holding her back.

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**A.N: I hoped you liked this chapter. This story will go on, probably ten chapters or so, I can't say for sure. O_O...I have to let the inspiration decide. If I find more drawings KenUno the better X3! Well next chapter is coming soon. Please review if you have anything to say! Reviews are like gasoline to me.**


	3. The Purpose

**I am sorry for my late upload. I just couldn't believe how many reviews I received ^_^ I couldn't let you guys wait any further. I THANK YOU! This is for you guys who got up of your laziness to review! Thank you veery much! Corrections welcome!**

**I do not own bleach!**

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Chapter Three: The Purpose

"Would you like something to drink, Captain Zaraki?"

I stared at her for long moments. I have never seen Unohana this happy before. Her smile was bright and alive. She was perfect in every way. I had never experienced such hospitality from a woman before. But then again I was a _guest_. How else _would_ she treat me? It was just part of her job after all, and she _was_ the Captain of those wimps with good manners of Squad Four.

But still, that smile. I can't address any other occasion when she had smiled at someone else like this. Was I really the only one?

"Sake" I told her. What did she saw in me that made her smile? What did she expected from me?

Unohana nodded and left for the table of drinks.

Even at her birthday her impulses in helping others never ceased.

As she did that I looked around. Unohana had guided me to a small and round table in the farthest of the patio, something that I was grateful for. I preferred morning training than being in pointless parties with all the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and even more when the Old Man was in them.

I've always thought that the only reason why the Old Man attended parties was to keep an eye over us, his _students_, because according to him these parties with too much alcohol led into tragedies like gambles, bad karaoke and sex. But everyone knew that parties usually fell into mischief. With the Old Man present everyone felt under pressure, because every asshole here knew that all those _tragedies_ were the point of the parties and were what kept us Captains in line or else we'll lose control over the stress. At least that was in my case.

Besides, this was Unohana's birthday celebration. In other words, there wasn't going to be _any_ mischief here so why bother showing up?

In the middle of the patio Matsumoto danced at the music and laughed loudly with her sake bottle at hand. Beside her that Kira seemed to have lost it too, and so did Hisagi and my former sixth seat Abarai. They were all dancing clumsily like a bunch of dimwits.

In that moment Unohana returned with what it looked like a huge flat bowl, I guessed full of sake. I moved in my chair at seeing her smirk and what she carried along with it. Did she expected me to get drunk, because that idea was passing through my mind at first.

Me watching, she placed the bowl over the table just to take a sit next to me. I stopped breathing. She was close to me and staying that way. When her scent reached me an unknown desire passed through my veins. I couldn't breath. She was driving me insane.

That fucking whore. What was she planning to do to me?!

Suddenly I felt a chill over me, as if I was being watched. I just had to look above Unohana's shoulder and see a big group of gossipy girls whisper and giggle with each other and looking at our way, like watching a man they really like or shit. What the hell were they looking at my direction for? For all that I knew I was too old to be considered hot and too badass to be fantasized with.

Unohana raised the bowl at me, "Here's your sake… I can help you with it."

I stared at her puzzled, "You mean, share it with me?"

"Why? Is there a problem, Captain?"

"I…No. All right" Why did I say that? Why did I approve?

I looked back at the group of pansy chicks, and they were giggling.

There was something fishy about this shit.

But I wasn't going to waste energy in something I didn't understood so I decided to shake it out of my head, trying to forget about everything that didn't have to do with Unohana in front of me.

Unohana leaned closer to me and I leaned closer to her too not really knowing what was I doing. She brought the bowl of sake into my lips and I took a gulp at the liquid. As the alcohol went down my throat our eyes met over the bowl. Her sapphire eyes were penetrating each fucking centimeter of me as if she were reading my thoughts. This has been the closest I've been to her, and although I felt cornered by them I couldn't have wished a better way to be so. The world itself stopped existing to me. It was only her and me. Everything else was bullshit. Everything else was scum.

It was the most delicious sake I've ever tasted in my life.

After what have been for me an eternity, she took the bowl of sake away from my lips. I cleaned my mouth with my sleeve and cleared my throat, doing everything in my power to avoid her eyes. And still her gaze pierced right through me. In an unease silence between us I began to look for an excuse to skip her eyes. I had never craved another place to stay than beside that woman, moreover I wanted to leave.

"Th-thank you" was the only think I manage to say to her, and still it came out so carelessly that I looked away.

She didn't answer and I gave up to the idea that she nodded, but I couldn't check, I didn't want to look at those eyes again so soon.

"Kenpachi?"

For the first time I spun my head to her, startled, "What?"

She quickly regretted saying that, I saw it in her face. She regretted calling my first name as I regretted looking at her eyes.

"Well?" I asked. I wanted to hear an explanation at least.

Unohana didn't answer immediately. "I just wanted to say that I'm happy that you came."

I stared at her for a long time. Did she really expect me to buy that? What kind of man did she thought I was?

"Uh huh" I said. I was well aware that Unohana intended to say something else. I wasn't a fool. I could read her as much as she could read me and I wanted her to know that, "What were you about to say really?" I scorned at her. Maybe if I push on deeper she would finally loose her tongue, "Why does every time I talk to you it seems that your hiding something from me?"

Unohana blinks, "Excuse me?"

"Don't go all dumb on me." I told her "I'm tired of that shit. Just go to the point."

Unohana raised her face in reflexion, "I see. You're a man that wants to get to the point, aren't you?"

I kept quiet. And she continued, "All I wanted to say was that I was more than glad that you came, after all we're both Captains and as such we need to maintain a professional relationship with each other, for the sake of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." She fixed her eyes on mine, "It's not convenient for two Captains such as us to have a grudge with each other."

"Such as _us_?" I echoed.

"Yes, you and me. We are in need with each other."

"In need?"

"I need of your wounded warriors to carry out my job. My job is to cure the wounded, heal the broken soul damaged by the heat of battle. My job and the job of my squad is our purpose here. Imagine us without a purpose. Our existence would be meaningless. Is the same with your squad, Captain Zaraki. Your purpose is to protect the Seireitei in the front lines of battle. Without us to heal you, you will perish and won't be able to execute your purpose. Now you understand Captain Zaraki why it is so important for us Captains to keep our relationship at bay? We both share a purpose that spins in an infinite cycle that maintains the Seireitei as it is. I need you as much as you need me."

I regarded her. All her words were leaving me with nothing to say.

She stood at her feet. I followed her up, "Forgive me if I ever offended you personally, Captain. Please don't feel any resentment towards me." And with that she turned on her heels and left leaving the bowl of sake over the table and me following her out of the patio. Even after she disappeared inside the buildings I stared petrified at the place were she disappeared.

I looked away restraining myself from slamming the table. I was so stupid! How could I be so harsh on her? I knew better than to push a woman's buttons. I made a woman leave her own birthday party.

I stood up, abandoning the table Unohana had offered me and followed the direction Unohana had left. I was half way out of the patio when I bumped into Yummichika.

"Captain?" he asked as puzzled as I was at seeing him, "I never expected you to come."

"I should ask you the same thing"

Yumichika sighed, brushing his hair with his fingers, "Yeah, well, I despise the hideous imbeciles of squad four as well as you do, Captain, but they had free beverages and food and I could help but take advantage of the situation. Any way, Captain, what was all that about?"

Decades with my fifth seat and he still surprised me, "_What_?"

"The sake thing with Captain Unohana?" he said pointing with his head over my shoulder, "You didn't mean that, didn't you?"

I turned my head around back at the table and then back at him, "What are you talking about? What ever this is you should spit it now, you dumbass."

Yumichika was taking a glass to his lips when his eyes widened, "What? You mean you don't kno-? Oh, gosh, I forgot I'm speaking with _you._ Of course you don't know. I'm so very, very naïve…I beg your pardon Captain but you've been targeted by a legendary Squad Four tradition"

"What? What are-? Speak up clearly, you fucking clown!"

"Calm down Captain…Let's go to a place more private." said Yumichika. He guided me out of the commotion right behind the table of snacks that nobody seemed to visit.

He leaned against the wall and I crossed my arms over my chest, "Now speak up."

Yumichika finished his glass and turned to me, "You see Captain there is a small and very old tradition inside of Squad Four used by women when they were…you know, after a guy they wanted but they weren't brave enough to confess."

"I don't like where this is going, Yumichika…"

"Let me finish Captain. Any way, in order to confess their love and find out if he felt the same way about her they developed this small ceremony that consisted of the woman in love offering her mate a bowl of sake, which she would pour into his mouth as a metaphor of pouring her feelings up to him. If he drinks the sake, his letting know the woman that he feels the same way about her, if not he rejects the feelings. As simple as that, Captain."

"_Why_ are you telling this shit to me exactly?"

Yumichika leaned his head forward, "Did you even listen what I said? The ceremony, Captain! Does it ring a bell? Retsu Unohana did the ceremony on _you _and_ you drank_ the sake."

My heart pounded in my ears. I stared in shock, "What did you said? I…I never…"

"Yes you did Captain"

I opened my mouth but nothing came out of it. Of course nothing came out! I had a fucking knot in my neck! I couldn't be so dumb, "I…You're kidding! You're lying to me!"

"No. I'm not lying."

A memory popped out in my head: the small group of girls giggling and whispering at my direction.

"I…" it couldn't be true. "How come _you _know that? You ain't Squad Four dog!"

"Every body knows it now. Even other women from other squads had adapted the tradition."

My breath was cut short. My heart began to beat in my ears. Now a new problem came with that, did the _other_ Captains noticed?

Suddenly my blood began to boil and I grabbed Yumichika's shukahusho, "Why didn't you warn me?" I snapped as low as I could. It was bad enough to be humiliated in public with that stupid ass ceremony.

"Beats me; I didn't know the Captain was targeting you, Captain!"

I glared at him for long minutes until I couldn't help but release him. It was useless counting on him as it was useless blaming it all at him, "I've had enough of this party" and I walked away, stumping my way out of the patio.

I was storming at the corridor of dojos when I passed by a closed door and a sob stopped me. I leaned my ear over the door and I herd it more accurate: a woman crying. But those sobs were from a voice I knew well.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

It was Retsu.

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**Corrections welcome! I'll do my best on the next chapter!**


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